When you are running a 7-figure eCommerce business, you are managing a lot of balls. You might not always have time to stay current on what’s happening in the industry.
Fortunately, there are a ton of great eCommerce blogs and newsletters to keep you in the loop.
We’re not talking about ones that are run by major eCommerce platforms and software companies that are inherently biased either. 😉
All of the publications we’re highlighting in this post are from real eCommerce practitioners and experts, including:
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1. Bean Ninjas
You didn’t think we’d write an entire list and not mention our own blog, right? From tips on running profitable eCommerce businesses to Xero best practices, we publish new content on a regular basis.
Here are some ones that you might find particularly helpful:
- A Detailed Guide to eCommerce Accounting
- Our Inaugural eCommerce Recession Impact Report
- A financial guide to selling your eCommerce business
2. ECommerceFuel
Founded by Andrew Youderian in the early 2010s, this is one of the OG eCommerce blogs and podcasts on the web. Unlike some other eCommerce blogs, the content on the site is in-depth and centered around serious, bootstrapped 7 and 8-figure eCommerce businesses.
One of the unique aspects of their community is that they have a private, paid membership community. This gives them a unique pulse into what’s really happening in the space.
3. 2PM
Founded by Web Smith, who is a serial eCommerce entrepreneur, 2PM sends out weekly memos – i.e. email newsletters – three times a week to paying subscribers that’s at the intersection of commerce and media. They also have a weekly free newsletter.
Chase Dimond says, “This newsletter has its pulse on what’s trending in eCommerce. Often their insights into what may happen end up happening. It’s also been a great way for me to discover and connect with movers and shakers in the eCommerce industry.”
4. Leanluxe
If you are in the luxury eCommerce space, the Leanluxe newsletter is another must-subscribe. Using a journalistic approach, they do a great job of keeping tabs on what’s happening across modern luxury businesses.
5. Chips and Dips
Started by Emily Singer, Chips and Dips is another popular eCommerce newsletter – especially for DTC CPG brands.
Lianna Patch says, “It’s super useful to get a curated take of what’s going on in the DTC world without having to read a million things. It’s also thoughtfully curated. Emily gives you a bunch of bullet point news items (the chips) and then takes a deep dive into issues like, “What does it mean to run an ethical eCommerce company?” or “What’s behind the current consumer craze for X? (the dips).”
6. eComCrew
If you sell on Amazon, then the eComCrew site and podcast offer practical advice.
For example, Andrew Youderian says, “This post from eComCrew that talks about how they prepared to sell their business for sale is really good.”
7. SmartMarketer
Part newsletter, blog, and video series, SmartMarketer was founded by Ezra Firestone, who has been a fixture in the eCommerce industry for decades(?).
Marco Julian Grishaber says, “I love the content that Ezra Firestone puts out on YouTube. Tearing down eCommerce sites, he shows a marketing breakdown and compares different brands and competitors on the home page, copywriting, ad creative, email marketing, etc. Also, he is offering very advanced courses around eCommerce email marketing and Facebook ad marketing.”
Nik is an investor and CEO of Sharma Brands, which invests, operates, and advises a bunch of well-known ecommerce brands, including PooPourri, The Pill Club, Drink Haus, and Judy.
One of my favorite newsletters is his newsletter from Nov 22 on working with influencers,” says Connor Meakin. “I appreciate the honesty in sharing how he’s built brands using influencers. He’s typically short-form and to the point.”
9. Common Thread Collective
Looking to improve your eCommerce marketing efforts? Then, the Common Thread Collective blog is a no-brainer to read. They share tactical insights into how to grow DTC brands. These aren’t your ordinary listicles with ten tips to increase your ROI on Facebook Ads. They dive deeper into unit economics, customer retention, and acquisition costs and share real-life case studies from their own brands as well as their clients.
10. Conversion XL
While Conversion XL (CXL for short) is about marketing and conversion rate optimization in general, it is still a solid read for eCommerce pros. It is another blog run by practitioners instead of “thought leadership gurus.”
“I follow Peep Laja and CXL content as they are the market leaders in terms of CRO and data-driven marketing approaches,” says Marco. “They know what they do, and they are on top of their industry. They’re always testing and refining ideas, creating hypotheses, and running experiments on those. The results have been very inspiring.”
11. Marketplace Pulse
If you are thinking about selling your eCommerce business or on the hunt to acquire another eCommerce brand, reading Marketplace Pulse is a solid option.
“I mostly monitor M&A news related to eCommerce and the categories we focus on,” says Coran Woodmass.”I’ve found the email newsletters below super helpful. For general news I’d say Marketplace Pulse is probably one of the best. Their year in reviews are great. This one we refer to a lot.”
If you are looking to learn from your peers in an easy-to-consume format, the DTC by Eric Dyck Newsletter is a solid option.
Andrew Sneddon says, “For DTC, it’s for listening to industry experts talk ecom. I also really like his style, super humble.
In sum, whether you subscribe to one, two, or all of these eCommerce newsletters and blogs, this is a great way to keep a pulse on what’s really happening in the eCommerce industry. You don’t have to worry about filtering out thin content written by folks who don’t understand the intricacies of the industry.
